Work to widen the interstate between FM 646 and FM 517 began in late 2017. The roadwork by the Texas Department of Transportation includes improvements to the freeway and expanding intersections at FM 517 and FM 518.

30 minutes go a few miles

Entrance ramps at FM 517 and FM 646 are closed, leaving a short ramp just before FM 96, which has led to traffic delays up to half an hour in some cases to travel a few miles on the northbound feeder road. Some residents feel that planning was inadequate and has led to more accidents in the area.

“About a week or so ago, we saw three separate accidents within a quarter mile,” said Elizabeth Del Bosque on a Facebook post regarding traffic issues in the area. “The lanes are too narrow and they aren’t straight. It’s especially difficult at night.”

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said he was aware of the traffic issues.

“I’m very familiar with the project,” he said, “in fact I live near there and drive it every day. Unfortunately, the county doesn’t have a role in that. That’s a TxDOT project and the state plans and executes it.”

Henry said that work on tearing down the current FM 646 overpass is supposed to begin before the end of the year and take six months to complete.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “518 will likely take a little longer because they need to widen it as well. In addition to the renovations to the road, they’re also expanding it.”

Until then, Henry urges that drivers need to slow down and stay alert.

“Those acceleration lanes are very short,” he said. “And when you’re on the freeway, slow down.”